(July 3, 2014 - by Ruth Pike)  What began as a three-year commitment in Ecuador turned into more than three decades of missionary service for Bruce and Cherith Rydbeck.

It was 34 years ago that they began serving with Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB Global) in Ecuador. The North American couple recently retired from the mission, but they continue to minister in Latin America as independent missionaries, supporting Ecuadorian mission groups via clean water projects and community development.

An engineering student with a growing interest in missions, Bruce first made a personal commitment to go wherever the Lord called him while attending Urbana, a youth missions conference sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship previously held in Urbana, Ill. But it wasn’t immediately apparent where that would be.

After completing his studies and moving to work in Boston, Mass., Bruce met Cherith, daughter of One Mission Society missionaries Harold and Margaret Brabon. Cherith grew up in Colombia and Ecuador, returning to the U.S. when she was 15.

“As a third culture kid I couldn’t imagine anything but being on the mission field,” said Cherith. “And that was when God challenged me to be willing to stay in the U.S. if he called me to.”

Bruce had worked for 10 years for Boston area engineering consulting firms gaining valuable experience and a master’s degree when the mission recruited them to serve in Ecuador. In 1981, Bruce and Cherith, together with their two sons, Joel and Caleb, moved to Papallacta, Ecuador, for a three-year assignment during which time their youngest child, Lydia, was born.

Hydroelectric Plants

As a civil engineer, Bruce carried out the civil design needed to install Reach Beyond’s second hydroelectric plant. The project provided an additional 4.2 megawatts of power for the former international transmitter site in Pifo, enabling Radio Station HCJB to continue its shortwave broadcasts from Ecuador until they were discontinued in 2009.

However, on completion of their assignment, the Rydbecks’ missionary service didn’t end there. In fact, in 1985 the family moved to Kenya where they served for 16 months. Bruce worked with Dr. David Stevens and Dr. Eric Moore on another hydro project to provide the Tenwek Hospital with a reliable power source.

In 1987 a dream born 50 years earlier, but wrought with obstacles, was finally realized with the switching on of the hydroelectric plant, proving invaluable for the remote Kenyan hospital.

“The hydroelectric power station we worked on … remains in the hands of the Kenyan people,” said Bruce. “It plays a significant role to improve people’s health and save lives on a daily basis.”

Following their time in Kenya, the Rydbecks returned to Ecuador where Bruce joined the Project Life team, implementing the structural design for a 10-year project to renovate and expand the mission’s Hospital Vozandes-Quito.

Clean Water Projects

As Reach Beyond’s community development ministry began to expand in Ecuador, colleagues encouraged Bruce to join them in working with rural communities on clean water projects. Although initially hesitant about the idea, he received a God-given heart for this ministry, leading him to direct clean water projects for more than 25 years. For Bruce, one of the biggest highlights of his ministry has been seeing the impact on local people.

“I remember when one man rode horseback many miles over the mountains just to give me a few eggs and thank me for my help on the community water system in Moste Chico,” related Bruce.

“I also recall elderly Quichua women who are normally extremely reserved embrace me with tears to thank me for clean water,” he said. “Suffering from arthritis, hauling water over the mountains had become torture for them and they were overjoyed to be relieved of that arduous task.”

Throughout the years, Bruce has had a profound impact on thousands of lives by helping rural communities with clean water projects and training both nationals and missionaries in community development.

“I saw in him passion, dedication and care for his projects as well as partners and interns,” said colleague César Cortez.

“[Bruce’s] unconditional love of the Lord is evident in the way he led community leaders through training and water projects,” added Dan Shedd, executive director of the Latin America Region.

Evangelistic Outreach

Meanwhile, Cherith ministered to others with her gift of hospitality and her passion for developing others. In the early 1980s she taught missionary children in Pifo, and in the early 1990s she wrote articles for mission publications and led cross-cultural studies for new missionaries. A central theme throughout Cherith’s ministry has been evangelism and discipleship.

“I have a real heart for evangelism, for sharing what God’s doing in my life with people and listening to where they’re at,” said Cherith. “God’s given me that gift of perceiving where people are and being able to speak His truth into their lives and help people along in their spiritual journey. Many people have come to know Jesus.”

Cherith has held inductive, interactive Bible studies with ladies of different nationalities and backgrounds, including a Buddhist lady who attended studies for eight years before committing her life to Christ.

“Cherith had a wonderful ministry with women teaching them the Word,” summed up Shedd.

In more recent years, Cherith’s ministry has focused on counseling, mentoring and training women leaders. She has spoken at international conferences and prayed with Quichua ladies in small groups, giving opportunities to deal with taboo topics such as sexual abuse.

“I have watched the Lord touch many, many women’s lives,” added Cherith.

Alongside other areas of ministry, in their spare time both Bruce and Cherith dedicated a number of years to ministering among inmates in Quito’s high-security prison, Penal García Moreno, sharing the gospel and discipling new believers, often putting their own lives at risk.

Crossing Cultures

Many have remarked on the couple’s ability to sense a need and respond to it in a variety of contexts.

“Bruce and Cherith get to know people and what their needs are and then they minister,” said fellow missionary Geoff Kooistra. “Whether it is installing water projects, leading seminars, raising support for projects or just getting together with friends, Bruce and Cherith are concerned about the needs of others.”

Those who worked closely with the Rydbecks, such as Martin and Ruth Harrison of Reach Beyond-UK, recall their emphasis on going with a humble attitude and learning from communities coupled with a philosophy of “responding to felt need when it comes to community development.”

Roger Reimer, who served as the healthcare director in Ecuador for many years, added that “Bruce and Cherith have reflected the lifestyle of authentic cross-cultural missionaries by focusing on the priority and importance of establishing healthy relationships with national colleagues with whom they have served and worked with. They are credible role models to follow in their steps because they reflect the God they serve.”

As the Rydbecks end this chapter of their lives with Reach Beyond, they continue to serve God in Latin America, especially among the Quichua and Quechua peoples of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

“We are working directly with national ministry enterprises,” concluded Bruce. “We’re helping them continue the vision for Christ-centered, sustainable water ministry long term.”

Sources: Reach Beyond, Tenwek Hospital, Grace Chapel (Boston, Mass.)